Lyndonville adopts contingency budget, preserving all sports, extracurriculars

District makes $266,495 in cuts after budget was rejected twice

Photo by Tom Rivers: Dan Dragula, the Lyndonville school business administrator, goes over a contingency budget during Tuesday’s Lyndonville Board of Education meeting.

LYNDONVILLE – The Board of Education has approved $266,495 in cuts needed for the district to adopt a contingency budget.

Lyndonville adopted the $18,927,505 in a unanimous board vote on Tuesday. The district twice presented a $19,194,000 budget to the public. It was rejected on May 19 by a 172-129 vote, and then again on June 16 with a 327-292 vote.

The district worked to whittle down expenses that aren’t legally required or necessary to maintain the educational program, and not needed to protect the health and safety of students and staff. These contingency expenses could be equipment purchases, optional program enhancements, subsidized community use of school facilities and other discretionary expenditures.

The budget preserves all educational programs for students, and keeps all of the extracurricular programs and sports, including at the modified, junior varsity and varsity levels.

Lyndonville made the cuts from the following areas: $57,000 from administrative expenses; $52,000 from general instruction; $40,000 from operations; $21,118 from special education; $20,600 from library, media and technology; $20,000 from pupil services; $17,746 from Board of Education; $11,000 from Athletics; $8,200 from Central Administration; $7,331 from Instructional Administration/Staff Development; $7,000 from Finance; $3,500 from Community Services; and $1,000 from Transportation.

No new equipment purchases are allowed. Lyndonville zapped $108,600 in equipment purchases with $10,000 from elementary school, $20,000 from high school, $6,000 from music program, $40,000 from building maintenance and upkeep, $600 from library/AV equipment, $20,000 in computer equipment, $11,000 in athletics equipment, and $1,000 from garage equipment.

The board cut conferences and training programs, including for the Board of Education. The budget cuts $20,000 for part-time psychologist intern, and $27,000 in public information services. The Applegram newsletter may not be in print, and instead be online.

Lyndonville Board of Education members Patrick Whipple, left, and Vern Fonda are shown at the recent board meeting. Whipple said he was concerned about the budget cuts for curriculum development and teacher training.

“Not only does this hamper the coming year, but it reverberates from here on out,” Whipple said.

The main focus of the district is education and the contingency budget does weaken the district’s educational program due to the continuing education cuts for teachers.

“That compounds,” Whipple said. “It effects this year’s kids and next year’s. Teachers won’t be honing their craft.”

Whipple also said he was concerned by a reduction of $32,000 in the district line item for legal expenses from $72,000 to $40,000. He said “an increasingly litigious society” could warrant more legal costs for Lyndonville.

“We’re crossing our fingers we won’t need them as much,” Dragula said about the legal costs. If Lyndonville needs to spend more, Dragula said the district would need to find the money in another part of the budget.

Board member James Houseman said any outside groups using Lyndonville facilities should be responsible for any damaged equipment. The baseball and soccer leagues already do that, but the it should be spelled out for all outside groups, board members said.

The contingency budget continues all current community use programs except a $3,500 non-subsidized use of the fitness center. The other programs don’t have a line item cost to the district.

Houseman and board members said Lyndonville should consider fees for use of ball fields, the gym and other facilities. The Lyndonville Facility and Finance Committees will consider if there should be a charge in the future.

District Superintedent Dr. Heather Lyon goes over the district’s code of conduct. She addressed the contingency budget challenges. She said it will be “an ongoing conversation through the school year. She wants serving students and their needs to remain the focus.

“Our students didn’t get to vote but they are impacted by the vote,” she said.

Dr. Lyon has secured some assistance to help with student and teacher supplies in the coming year. The continency budget allows for some teacher supplies, but can’t cover students supplies, such as crayons, pencils, paper and erasers.

Hope Resales in Lyndonville has donated $500 to the district to help with needs due to the budget cutbacks. The ladies of Charity gave $1,600 for student supplies.

The Teachers’ Desk in Buffalo is welcoming Lyndonville teachers this school year to come to the site and pick up needed supplies for free.

Lyndonville was accepted after qualifying for assistance partly due to its high free and reduced lunch rate of 56 percent, Lyon said.

Isabella Brevet, the student representative on board, spoke during Tuesday’s meeting and urged the Board to keep as many programs and services for students as possible.